It happened in Italy
by i'm a quitter
Summary: Inigo Montoya is on his way to Italy in hopes of being reunited with an old love. But along the way, he has second thoughts about his journey.


**Well, this is my VERY FIRST fanfic that I have ever written. I thought I might give this whole writing thing a try. So if it sucks on ice, _please_ tell me nicely? Reviews are nice but no flames please… This story is supposed to be all by itself, but I may write a little more if people don't hate it. **

**Disclaimer: Inigo, Westly, Buttercup and Giulietta are not my characters. They come from the timeless mind of none other than S. Morgenstern.**

**Summary: Inigo Montoya is on his way to Italy to hopefully be reunited with an old love. But as he's on his way, he has second thoughts about his journey.

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Return To Italy

Inigo allowed his thoughts to consume him as he slowly made his way down the road on horseback. Italy was his final destination and so far it had been a long ride. _And I'm barely a quarter of the way there,_ he thought heavily. But he pressed on, for he knew that he _had_ to go to Italy. He had put this trip off for far too long and though he somewhat dreaded the reaction he would receive upon showing his face to the Countess after so many years, Inigo found that he truly couldn't stand to be around Westly and Buttercup much longer.

Inigo had often felt very guilty for it, but he had despised seeing the blissful couple together, and they had _always_ been together. Always kissing, always calling each other " love" or "dearest" or "beloved sweet" and _always_ claiming their never ending love for each other.

Inigo snorted in his jealousy. He had often watched Westly and Buttercup when they were together and had longed to love someone so unconditionally and have that love returned as they did. He had had that relationship with the love of his life quite some time ago, but avenging his father had forced him to leave the woman he loved so much and Italy behind.

He closed his eyes and pictured her in his mind, smirking. Even after so many years he could see her face perfectly. Caramel bronze skin, long dark brown hair and light hazel almond shaped eyes that Inigo had always found himself lost in. Her body was blade thin, as his was but he knew she was strong. He had fenced with her a few times during his stay in Italy and she had caught him off guard, disarming him with a quick flick of the wrist. Inigo smiled at the memory.

_How many years _has_ it been, Giulietta_, he wondered wistfully. It had been at least ten years since he had last seen her last. Ten years since that night in Italy that he had kissed her and held her so closely and told her of _his_ never-ending love for her.

The weeks following that night had passed the lovers much too quickly. When the day had finally come for him to leave Italy, and Giulietta, Inigo had been so grief stricken that he hadn't been able to control his emotions very well, which was usually second nature to him.

Inigo shrugged. _Simply one of the many reasons I love Giulietta so much,_ he told himself. _She often makes me forget who I am. Or perhaps when I'm aroun her I just don't care._

_Ten Years Earlier : Italy_

Hot tears streaked down Giulietta's beautiful face, while Inigo fought hard to keep his face blank as he gazed at her. He was of the opinion that distancing himself from this woman would possibly make leaving her easier for the both of them. Unfortunately, Inigo had yet to see the affect he expected.

"I will miss you greatly, Inigo," she said quietly. "You have no idea what these past few weeks with you have meant to me."

"I will miss you just as much," was all he could manage. He feared that if he said too much, he might never leave.

Giulietta took a deep breath and tried to blink away her tears. Inigo's heart ached painfully at the despair he saw in his love's eyes. He could see her heart was slowly and painfully breaking and seeing he in such a state was killing Inigo as well.

Giulietta looked straight into Inigo's eyes with her own pain filled ones. "I know you said that you could not live with honor until the six fingered man is killed at your hands, but..." She hesitated, for this subject had come up before and the results had been disastrous. Giulietta had simply not mentioned it to him after that, but had to know what he wanted before he walked out of her life, possibly forever.

When Inigo remained silent, Giulietta continued with a slightly stronger voice. "...but might you consider marrying me when your task is completed?"

_Yes, YES of course I'll marry you!_ His mind screamed, though with much concentration his face remained unexpressive. Inigo knew he couldn't make that promise to her. He may very well die along with the six fingered man, and Giulietta may wait the rest of her life for Inigo to return without knowing that he had died. No, he could not promise her marriage, no matter how much he wanted to.

Collecting his strength and determined not to become too emotional, Inigo, as calmly as he could manage, said, "I'm afraid I cannot do that." He saw the pain flicker in her eyes and felt he needed to explain himself. He certainly didn't want her to think that he didn't love her or didn't want to marry her.

"You see love," he began slowly and somewhat cautiously. "Though my intention is to kill this man, it is possible that I could die along with him. I don't want you to be alone all of your life because of me."

Giulietta was numb with shock. Had he honestly suggested that she love another if he should not return for her? She asked in a rather choked voice, "You're asking me to take another man?" she asked painfully. "Hold another? Kiss another? _Love _another?"

_No! HELL NO!_ Inigo had closed his eyes and taken a slow breath as her voice had begun to rise. The thought or her loving another man enraged him, partly because Giulietta was _his_ love, and his alone, and partly because he knew that her eventually loving another man was not at all impossible.

"I'm not saying that entirely. I'm simply saying that I wish for you to be happy, Giulietta."

"Then I'm afraid I'll have to disappoint you. I shall not be truly happy until you, Inigo Montoya, and only you, are in my arms. I don't care if you die, decide you no longer love me or perhaps forget about me." Inigo visibly winced, and Giulietta continued, voice stronger then ever. "I will either be by myself for the rest of my life or spend what remains of it with you."

Inigo took a step forward and spoke softer, the urgency evident in his voice. "Giulietta, please..." he begged. "Think about what you are saying. If I were to die I _must_ know that you will be happy, even if it means..."

He choked. This was must difficult for him to say. He took a deep breath and began again. "... even if it means finding another love someday." This he truly meant. Though the thought of her happy with another killed him inside, what was most important to him was that Giulietta was happy, and if that meant letting her go, letting her be happy with some other man... Inigo sighed again. If she was happy, he was happy, and that was enough to keep him going.

Giulietta smiled wistfully and brought her hand up to his cheek, stroking one of Inigo's twin scars. "Love, I'm afraid I will _never_ love another man so long as I live," she whispered. "My heart has been, and always will be yours. You may do with it what you will. For the moment, my heart is breaking, but I know your love for me is everlasting so I don't doubt that my heart will heal. But please, I _beg_ you, do not even suggest that I love another. I could never do that. Not even for you."

Hearing her say those words with such need had finally pushed Inigo over the edge. Not caring completely forgetting that distancing himself would make it easier, he let tears that he had held back freely fall as he wrapped his arms around the woman he loved and pulled her into a deep, loving kiss that neither of them ever wanted to end. Giulietta clung onto Inigo as though it was the last thing she'd ever do and cried onto his shoulder.

_Present_

Their encounter had not lasted much longer after that, and when it finally had, it ended with Inigo riding away without so much as a glance back. He hadn't looked simply because he didn't want the memory of her heartbroken expression burned in his mind.

She had been so beautiful in his mind before he had met her and so much more beautiful in person. Not a day went by that he didn't feel as though Giulietta was all around him, watching his every move in despair because he hadn't yet come to see her now that he had avenged his father.

His heart ached whenever he thought that she was sad, for the Giulietta he saw in his mind was often sad. His heart begged her to be happy; to do whatever it took to smile, even if Inigo was ultimately hurt because of it. But try as he might he was forced to watch as she grew more depressed day by day. This had been one of the reasons that he had finally made the decision to go back to Italy. He _had_ to know if he was only having absurd premonitions or if she truly did need him right now.

It was then that another painful thought seeped into his mind. Did she _really_ miss him? He knew that she had promised to love him for the rest of he days, but did she feel the same after ten years of not a word from him? Would she even remember him if she saw him again after all these years? Had she perhaps married another after hearing nothing from him for so long?

Inigo sighed heavily and rode on, gazing blankly into space. _Why should she not have married by now?_ He thought in agony. He had not promised to retrieve her after his task was complete. He had asked her _not_ to wait for his return. He had said only goodbye to her and walked out of the castle, out of Italy, out of Giulietta's life without so much as glancing back. He had berated himself for acting so uncaring, and every day he prayed to the Lord that she still loved him and had understood his mission was something that _had_ to be done, for his father as much as for himself.

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**So there you have it. Reviews are nice. Constructive criticism _please_...**


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